Translated by Lin Yutang

(The Wisdom of China - Edited by Lin Yutang - A Four Square
Book - The New English Library -Great Britain - 1963)

Translated by D. C. Lau

(Lao Tzu - Tao Te Ching - Penguin Classics -
Cox and Wyman Ltd. - Great Britain - 1983)

Book I: THE PRINCIPLES OF TAO

1. On the Absolute Tao

The Tao the can be told of
Is not the Absolute Tao;
The Names that can be given
Are not Absolute Names.

The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth;
The Named is the Mother of All Things.

Therefore:
Oftentimes, one strips oneself of passion
In order to see the Secret of Life;
Oftentimes, one regards life with passion,
In order to see its manifest forms.

These two (the Secret and its manifestations)
Are (in their nature) the same;
They are given different names
When they become manifest.

They may both be called the Cosmic Mystery: [1]
Reaching from the Mystery into the Deeper Mystery
Is the Gate to the Secret [2] of All Life.

[1] Hsuän - This word is the equivalent of "mystic" and "mysticism. Taoism is also known as the Hsuänchiao, or "Mystic Religion".
[2] Miao may also be translated as "Essence; it means "the wonderful," the "ultimate"," the "logically unknowable, "the "quintessence," or "esoteric truth."

1] The way that can be spoken of
Is not the constant way The name that can be named
Is not the constant name.

2] The nameless was the beginning of heaven and earth
The named was the mother of the myriad creatures.

3] Hence rid yourself of desires in order to observe its [*]
secrets
But always allow yourself to have desires in order to observe
its manifestations.

3a] These are the same
But diverge in name as they issue forth.
Being the same they are called mysteries,
Mystery upon mystery -
The gateway of the manifold secrets.

[*] In translating from the Chinese it is often impossible to
avoid using the pronouns "it" and "they" and their derivatives
without any clear reference, whether these are expressed in
Chinese or only implied. In the present work "it" used in this
way sometimes refers to "the way" and "they" to "the myriad
creatures".

2. The Rise of Relative Opposites

When the people of the Earth all know beauty as beauty,
There arises (the recognition of) ugliness.
When the people of the Earth all know the good as good,
There arises (the recognition of) evil.

Therefore:
Being and non-being interdepend in growth;
Difficult and easy interdepend in completion;
Long and short interdepend in contrast;
High and low interdepend in position;
Tones and voice interdepend in harmony;
Front and behind interdepend in company.

Therefore the Sage:
Manages affairs without action;
Preaches the doctrine without words;
All things take their rise, but he does not turn away from them;
He gives them life, but does not take possession of them;
He acts, but does not appropriate;
Accomplishes, but claims no credit.
It is because he lays claim to no credit
That the credit cannot be taken away from him.

4] The whole world recognizes the beautiful as the beautiful, yet this
is only the ugly the whole world recognizes the good as the good, yet
this is only the bad.

5] Thus something and nothing produce each other;
The difficult and the easy complement each other;
The long and the short off-set each other;
The high and the low incline toward each other;
Note and sound [*] harmonize with each other;
Before and after follow each other. [†]

6] Therefore the sage keeps to the deed that consists in taking no
action and practices the teaching that uses no words.
7] The myriad creatures rise from it yet it claims no authority:
It gives them life yet claims no possession;
It benefits them yet exacts no gratitude:
It accomplishes its task yet lays claim to no merit.

7a] It is because it lays claim to no merit
That its merit never deserts it.

[*] The Chinese terms used here are not precise and it is not clear
what the intended contrast is. The translation is, therefore, tentative.
[†] It may seem strange to say that before and after follow each
other, but this refers probably to a ring. Any point on a ring is both
before and after any other point, depending on the arbitrary choice of
the starting-point.

3. Action Without Deeds

Exalt not the wise, [3]
So that the people shall not scheme and contend;
Prize not rare objects,
So that the people shall not steal;
Shut out from sight the things of desire,
So that the people's hearts shall not be disturbed.

Therefore in the government of the Sage:
He keeps empty their hearts [4]
Makes full their bellies,
Discourages their ambitions,
Strengthens their frames;
So that the people may be innocent of knowledge and desires.
And the cunning ones shall not presume to interfere. [5]
By action without deeds
May all live in peace.

[3] Exalting the wise in government is a typically Confucianist idea.
[4] "Empty-heart" in the Chinese language means "open-mindedness," or "humility," a sign of the cultured gentleman. Throughout this book, "empty" and "full" are used as meaning "humility" and pride" respectively.
[5] Wei, "to act," frequently used in this book to denote "interfere." Wu-wei, or " inaction," practically means non-interference, for it is the exact equivalent of "laissez-faire."

8] Not to honour men of worth will keep the people from contention;
not to value goods which are hard to come by will keep them from
theft; not to display what is desirable will keep them from being
unsettled of mind.

9] Therefore in governing the people, the sage empties their minds
but fill their bellies, weakens their wills but strengthens their
bones: He always keeps them innocent of knowledge and free from
desire, and ensures that the clever never dare to act.

10] Do that which consists in taking no action, and order will prevail.

Tao is all pervading [6]
And its use is inexhaustible!
Fathomless!
Like the fountain head of all things,
Its sharp edges rounded off,
Its tangles untied,
Its light tempered,
Its turmoil submerged,
Yet dark like deep water it seems to remain.
I do not know whose Son it it,
An image of what existed before God.

[6] Ch'ung, "empty," "mild," "formless," "filling all space." Another reading, chung, "Tao is an empty vessel."

11] The way is empty, yet use will not drain [*] it.
Deep, it is like the ancestor of the myriad creatures.

12]Blunt the sharpness;
Untangle the knots;
Soften the glare;
Let your wheel move only along old ruts.

13] Darkly visible, it only seems as if it were there.
I know not whose son it is.
It images the forefather of God.

[*] The word in the text meaning "full" has been emended
to one meaning "empty". Cf: "Yet use will never drain it"
[17]; "Yet it cannot be exhausted by use" [78] "Yet use will
not drain it" [101].

5. Nature

Nature is unkind:
It treats the creation like sacrificial straw-dogs. [7]
The Sage is unkind:
He treats the people like sacrificial straw-dogs.

How the universe is like a bellows!
Empty, yet it gives a supply that never fails;
The more it is worked, the more it brings forth.

By many words is wit exhausted.
Rather, therefore, hold to the core. [8]

[7] The doctrine of naturalism, the Sage reaching the impartiality and often the stolid indifference of nature.
[8] Centre, the original nature of man. "Hold to the core" is an important Taoist tenet.

14] Heaven and earth are ruthless, and treat the myriad
creatures as straw dogs [*] ; the sage is ruthless, and
treats the people as straw dogs.

15] Is not the space between heaven and earth like a bellows?
It is empty without being exhausted:
the more it works the more comes out.

16] Much speech leads inevitably to silence.
Better to hold fast to the void.

[*] In the T'ien Yün chapter in the Chuang tzu it is said
that straw dogs were treated with the greatest deference
before they were used as an offering, only to be discarded
and trampled upon as soon as they had served

6. The Spirit of the Valley

The Spirit of the Valley [9] never dies.
It is called the Mystic Female. [10]
The Door of the Mystic Female
Is the root of Heaven and Earth.

Continuously, continuously,
It seems to remain.
Draw upon it
And it serves you with ease. [11]

[9] The Valley, like the bellows, is a symbol of Taoist "Emptiness".
[10] The principle of yin the negative, the receptive, the quiescent.
[11] He who make use of nature's laws accomplishes results "without labour."

17] The spirit of the valley never dies.
This is called the mysterious female.
The gateway of the mysterious female
Is called the root of heaven and earth.
Dimly visible, it seems as if it were there,
Yet use will never drain it.

The universe is everlasting.
The reason the universe is everlasting
Is that it does not life for Self. [12]
Therefore it can long endure.

Therefore the Sage puts himself last,
And finds himself in the foremost place;
Regards his body as accidental,
And his body is thereby preserved.
Is it not because he does not live for Self
That his Self is realized?

[12] Gives life to others through its transformations.

18] Heaven and earth are enduring. The reason why heaven
and earth can be enduring is that they do not give themselves
life. Hence they are able to be long lived.

19] Therefore the sage puts his person last and it comes first,
Treats it as extraneous to himself and is preserved.

19a] Is it not because he is without thought of self that he
is able to accomplish private ends?

8. Water

The best of men is like water;
Water benefits all things
And does not compete with them.
It dwells in (the lowly) places that all disdain -
Wherein it comes near to the Tao.

In his dwelling, (the Sage) loves the (lowly) earth;
In his heart, he loves what is profound;
In his relations with others, he loves kindness;
In his words, he loves sincerity;
In government, he loves peace;
In business affairs, he loves ability;
In hi actions, he loves choosing the right time.
It is because he does not contend
That he is without reproach.

VIII

20] Highest good is like water. Because water excels in benefiting
the myriad creatures without contending with them and settles where
none would like to be, it comes close to the way.

21] In a home it is the site that matters;
In quality of mind it is depth that matters;
In an ally it is benevolence that matters;
In speech it is good faith that matters;
In government it is order that matters;
In affairs it is ability that matters;
In action it is timeliness that matters;.

22] It is because it does non contend that it is never at fault. [*]

[*] In sense, and possibly, in rhyme, this line is continuous with 20.

9. The Danger of Overweening Success

Stretch (a bow) [13] to the very full,
And you will wish you had stopped in time.
Temper a (sword-edge) to its very sharpest,
And the edge will not last long.
When gold and jade fill your hall,
You will not be able to keep them safe.
To be proud with wealth and honor
Is to sow seeds of one's own downfall.
Retire when your work is done,
Such is Heaven's way. [14]

[13] Throughout Laotse, the idea of ying, "fullness" or "filled to the brim," associated with pride, is condemned as the opposite of "emptiness" or "humility," because success contains the seeds of downfall.
[14] The whole chapter is rhymed.

[*] This refers to a vessel which is said to have been in
the temple of Chou (or Lu). It stands in position when empty
but overturns when full. The moral is that humility is a
necessary virtue, especially for those in high position.

In embracing the One [15] with your soul,
Can you never forsake the Tao?
In controlling your vital force to achieve gentleness,
Can you become like the new-born child? [16]
In cleansing and purifying your Mystic vision,
Can you strive after perfection?
In loving the people and governing the kingdom,
Can you rule without interference?
In opening and shutting the Gate of Heaven,
Can you play the part of the Female? [17]
In comprehending all knowledge,
Can you renounce the mind? [18]

To give birth, to nourish
To give birth without taking possession,
To act without appropriation,
To be chief among men without managing them -
This is the mystic virtue.

[15] Important phrase in Taoism.
[16] The babe is a symbol of innocence, a common imagery found also in Chuangtse , sometimes the imagery of "the new-born calf" is used.
[17] The Yin, the receptive, the passive, the quiet.
[18] This section is rhymed throughout

24] When carrying on your head your perplexed bodily soul [*]
can you embrace in your arms the One
And not let go?
In concentrating your breath can you become as supple
As a babe?
Can you polish you mysterious mirror [†]
and leave no blemish?
When the gates of heaven [‡] open and shut
Are you capable of keeping to the role of the female?
When your discernment penetrates the four quarters
Are you capable of not knowing anything?

25] It gives them life and rears them.

26] It gives them life and claims no possession;
It benefits them yet exacts no gratitude;
It is the steward yet exercises no authority.
Such is called the mysterious virtue.

[*] Man has two souls, the p'o which is the soul of the body
and the hun which is the soul of the spirit. After death, the
p'o descends into earth while the Hun ascends into heaven. Cf.
"The myriad creatures carry on their backs the yin and embrace
in their arms the yang" [94]
[†] i.e. the mind
[‡] The gates of heaven are, according to the Keng sang ch'u
chapter of the Chuang tzu, the invisible gateway through which
the myriad creatures come into being and return to nothing.

11. The Utility of Not-Being

Thirty spokes unite around the nave;
From their not-being (loss of their individuality)
Arises the utility of the wheel.
Mold clay into a vessel;
From its not-being (in the vessel's hollow)
Arises the utility of the vessel.
Cut out doors and windows in the house (-wall),
From their not-being (empty space) arises the utility of the house.
Therefore by the existence of things we profit.
And by the non-existence of things we are served.

27] Thirty spokes
Share one hub.
Adapt the nothing therein to the purpose in hand, and you
will have the use of the cart. Knead clay in order to make
a vessel. Adapt the nothing therein to the purpose in hand,
and you will have the use of the vessel. Cut out doors and
windows in order to make a room. Adapt the nothing [*]
therein to the purpose in hand, and you will have the use
of the room.

27a] Thus what we gain is Something, yet it is by virtue of
Nothing that this can be put to use.

[*] In all three cases, by "nothing" is meant the empty spaces.

12. The Senses

The five colors blind the eyes of man;
The five musical notes deafen the ears of man;
The five flavors dull the taste of man;
Horse-racing, hunting and chasing madden the minds of man;
Rare, valuable goods keep their owners awake at night. [19]

Therefore the Sage:
Provides for the belly and not the eye.
Hence, he rejects the one and accepts the other. [20]

[19] Lit. "Keep one on one's guard"
[20] "Belly" here refers to the inner self, the unconscious, the instinctive; the "eye" refers to the external self or the sensuous world.

XII

28] The five colours make man's eyes blind;
The five notes make his ears deaf;
The five tastes injure his palate;
Riding and hunting
Make his mind go wild with excitement;
Goods hard to come by
Serve to hinder his progress.

29] Hence the sage is
For the belly
Not for the eye.

29a] Therefore he discards the one and takes the other.

13. Praise and Blame

"Favor and disgrace cause one dismay;
What we value and what we fear are within our Self."

What does this mean:
"Favor and disgrace cause one dismay?"
Those who receive a favor from above
Are dismayed when they receive it,
And dismayed when they lose it.

What does this mean:
"What we value and what we fear [21] are as if within our Self?"
We have fears because we have a self. [22]
When we do not regard that self as self,
What have we to fear?

Therefore he who values the world as his self
May then be entrusted with the government of the world;
And he who loves the world as his self -
The world may then be entrusted to his care.

[21] Interpreted as life and death. The text of Chuangtse confirms this interpretation.
[22] Lit. "body."

30] Favour and disgrace are things that startle;
High rank [*] is, like one's body, a source of great trouble.

30a] What is meant by saying that favour and disgrace are
things that startle? Favour when it is bestowed on a subject
serves to startle as much as when it is withdrawn. This is
what is meant by saying that favour and disgrace are things
that startle. What is meant by saying that high rank is, like
one's body, a source of great trouble? The reason I have
great trouble is that I have a body. When I no longer have a
body, what trouble have I?

31] Hence he who values his body more that dominion over the
empire can be entrusted with the empire.
He who loves his body more that dominion over the empire can
be given the custody of the empire.

[*] It is probable that the word kuei ("high rank") here has
crept in by mistake, since, as it stands, this line has one
word more that the first. If this is the case, then the line
should be translated: "Great trouble is like one's body."
This brings it into line with the explanation that follows
where "high rank" is not, in fact, mentioned.

Looked at, but cannot be seen -
That is called the Invisible (yi).
Listened to, but cannot be heard -
That is called the Inaudible (hsi).
Grasped at, but cannot be touched -
That is called the Intangible (wei). [23]
These three elude our inquiries
And hence blend and become One.

Not by its rising, is there light,
Nor by its sinking, is there darkness.
Unceasing, continuous,
It cannot be defined,
And reverts again to the realm of nothingness.

That is why it is called the Form of the Formless,
The Image of Nothingness.
That is why it is called the Elusive:
Meet it and you do not see its face;
Follow it and you do not see its back.

He who holds fast to the Tao of old
In order to manage the affairs of now
Is able to know the Primeval Beginnings
Which are the continuity [24] of Tao.

[23] Jesuit scholars consider these three words (in ancient Chinese pronounced nearly like i-hi-vei) an interesting coincidence with the Hebrew word "Jahve."
[24] Chi a word meaning "main body of tradition," "system" and also "discipline."

XIV

32] What cannot be seen is called evanescent;
What cannot be heard is called rarefied;
What cannot be touched is called minute.

32a] These three cannot be fathomed
And so they are confused and looked upon as one.

33] Its upper part is not dazzling;
Its lower part is not obscure.
Dimly visible, it cannot be named
And returns to that which is without substance.
This is called the shape that has no shape,
The image that is without substance.
This is called indistinct and shadowy.
Go up to it and you will not see its head;
Follow behind and you will not see its rear.

34] Hold fast to the way of antiquity
In order to keep in control the realm of today.
The ability to know the beginning of antiquity
Is called the thread running through the way.

The wise ones [25 ]of old had subtle wisdom and depth of understanding,
So profound that they could not be understood.
And because they could not be understood,
Perforce must they be so described:
Cautious, like crossing a wintry stream,
Irresolute, like one fearing danger all around,
Grave, like one acting as guest,
Self-effacing, like ice beginning to melt,
Genuine, [26] like a piece of undressed wood, [27]
Open-minded, like a valley,
And mixing freely, [28 ]like murky water.

Who can find repose in a muddy world?
By lying still, it becomes clear.
Who can maintain his calm for long?
By activity, it comes back to life.

He who embraces this Tao
Guards against being over-full.
Because he guards against being over-full, [29]
He is beyond wearing out and renewal.

[25] Another ancient text, "the rulers."
[26] Tun, "thickness," like solid furniture, associated with the original simplicity of man, in opposition to "thinness," associated with cunning, over-refinement and sophistication.
P'u. Important Taoist idea, the uncarved, the unembellished, the natural goodness and honesty of man, Generally used to mean simplicity, plainness of heart and living.
[28] Hun, "muddled," "mixing freely," therefore "easygoing," "not particular." Taoist wisdom: a wise man should appear like a fool.
[29] Self-satisfaction, conceit.

XV

35] Of old he who was well versed in the way
Was minutely subtle, mysteriously comprehending,
And too profound to be known.
It is because he could not be known
That he can only be given a makeshift description:
Tentative, as if fording a river in winter,
Hesitant, as if in fear of his neighbours;
Formal like a guest;
Falling apart like thawing ice;
Thick like the uncarved block;
Vacant like a valley;
Murky like muddy water.

36] Who can be muddy and yet, settling, slowly become limpid?
Who can be at rest and yet, stirring, slowly come to life?
He who holds fast to his way
Desires not to be full.
It is because he is not full
That he can be worn and yet newly made. [*]

[*] The present text reads "That he can be worn and not newly
made". The negative must have crept in by mistake. Cf. "Worn
then new" [50]

Attain the utmost in Humility, [30]
Hold firm to the basis of Quietude.

The myriad things take shape and rise to activity,
But I watch them fall back to their repose.
Like vegetation that luxuriantly grows
But returns to the root (soil) from which it springs.

To return to the root is Repose;
It is called going back to one's Destiny.
Going back to one's Destiny is to find the Eternal Law. [31]
To know the Eternal Law is Enlightenment.
And not to know the Eternal Law
Is to court disaster.

He who knows the Eternal Law is tolerant;
Being tolerant, he is impartial;
Being impartial, he is kingly; [32]
Being kingly, he is in accord with Nature; [33]
Being in accord with Nature, he is in accord with Tao;
Being in accord with Tao, he is eternal,
And his whole life is preserved from harm.

[30] Hsü: emptiness, void. But in actual usage, this "emptiness" has no other meaning than "humility." Both "humility and "quietude" are central Taoist ideas.
[31] Ch'ang, the "constant," the law of growth and decay, of necessary alternation of opposites, can be interpreted as the"universal law of nature," or the "inner law of man," the true self (hsingming chi ch'ang), the two being identical in their nature.
[32] Wang: a possible translation is "cosmopolitan," i.e. regarding the world as one.
[33] T'ien, heaven or nature. Both t'ien here and Tao in the next line are clearly used as adjectives: hence the translation "in accord with." T'ien very commonly means "nature," or "natural."

37] I do my utmost to attain emptiness;
I hold firmly to stillness.
The myriad creatures all rise together
And I watch heir return.
The teaming creatures
All return to their separate roots.
Returning to one's roots is known as stillness.
This is what is meant by returning to one's destiny.
Returning to one's destiny is known as the constant.
Knowledge of the constant is known as discernment.

38] Woe to him who willfully innovates
While ignorant of the constant,
But should one act from knowledge of the constant
One's action will lead to impartiality,
Impartiality to kingliness,
Kingliness to heaven,
Heaven to the way,
The way to perpetuity,
And to the end of one's days one will meet with no danger.

Of the best rulers
The people (only) know [34] that they exist;
The next best the love and praise;
The next they fear;
And the next they revile.

When they do not command the people's faith,
Some will lose faith in them,
And then they resort to oaths!
But (of the best) when their task is accomplished,
their work done,
The people all remark, "We have done it ourselves."

Some texts read: The people do not know."

39] The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to
his subject.
Next comes the ruler they love and praise;
Next comes one they fear;
Next comes one with whom they take liberties.

40] When there is not enough faith, there is lack of
good faith.

41] Hesitant, he does not utter words lightly.
When his task is accomplished and his work done
The people all say, "It happened naturally."

On the decline of the great Tao,
The doctrine of "humanity" and "justice" [35] arose.
When knowledge and cleverness appeared,
Great hypocrisy followed in its wake.

When the six relationships no longer lived at peace,
There was (praise of) "kind parents" and "filial sons."

When a country fell into chaos and misrule,
There was (praise of) "loyal ministers."

[35] Essential Confucian doctrines, usually translated (badly) as "benevolence " and " righteousness".

42] When the great way falls into disuse
There are benevolence and rectitude;
When cleverness emerges
There is great hypocrisy;
When the six relations [*] are at variance
There are filial children;
When the state is benighted
There are loyal ministers.

[*] The six relations, according to Wang Pi, are father
and son, elder and younger brother, husband and wife.

Banish wisdom, discard knowledge,
And the people shall profit a hundredfold;
Banish "humanity," discard "justice,"
And the people shall recover love of their kin;
Banish cunning, discard "utility,"
And the thieves and brigands shall disappear. [36]
As these three touch the externals and are inadequate,
The people have need of what they can depend upon:

Reveal thy simple self, [37]
Embrace thy original nature,
Check thy selfishness,
Curtail thy desires. [38]

[36] The ideas of chapters 18 and 19 are fully developed by Chuangtse (Ch. X, "Opening Trunks").
[37] Su, the unadorned, uncultured, the innate quality, simple self; originally "plain silk background" as opposed to superimposed coloured drawings; hence the expression "reveal," "realize" su.
[38] The eight characters in these four lines sum up practical Taoist teachings.

43] Exterminate the sage, discard the wise,
And the people will benefit a hundredfold;
Exterminate benevolence, discard rectitude,
And the people will again be filial;
Exterminate ingenuity, discard profit,
And there will be no more thieves and bandits.

43a] These three, being false adornments, are not enough
And the people must have something to which they can
attach themselves:
Exhibit the unadorned and embrace the uncarved block,
Have little thought of self and as few desires as possible.

Banish learning, and vexations end.
Between "Ah!" and "Ough!" [39]
How much difference is there?
Between "good" and "evil"
How much difference is there?"
That which men fear
Is indeed to be feared;
But, alas, distant yet is the dawn (of awakening)!

The people of the world are merry-making,
As if partaking of the sacrificial feasts,
As if mounting the terrace in spring;
I alone am mild, like one unemployed,
Like a new-born babe that cannot yet smile,
Unattached, like one without a home.

The people of the world have enough and to spare,
But I am like one left out,
My heart must be that of a fool,
Being muddled, nebulous!

The vulgar are knowing, luminous;
I alone am dull, confused.
The vulgar are clever, self-assured;
I alone, depressed.
Patient as the sea,
Adrift, seemingly aimless.

The people of the world all have a purpose;
I alone appear stubborn and uncouth.
I alone differ from the other people,
And value drawing sustenance from the Mother. [40]

[39] Wei and o. "O" an utterance of disapproval.
[40] Imagery of the sucking child, symbolizing drawing power from Mother Nature.

XX

44] Exterminate learning and there no longer be worries [*]

45] Between yea and nay
How much difference is there?
Between good and evil
How much is the distance?

46] What others fear
One must also fear.

47] And wax without having reached the limit [†]
The multitude are joyous
As if partaking of t'ai lao [‡] offering
Or going up to a terrace [§] in spring.
I alone am inactive and reveal no signs,
Like a baby that has not yet learned to smile,
Listless as though with no home to go back to.

The multitude all have more than enough.
I alone seem to be in want.
My mind is that of a fool - how blank!
Vulgar people are clear.
I alone am drowsy.
Vulgar people are alert.
I alone am muddled.
Calm like the sea;
Like a high wind that never ceases. [††]
The multitude all have a purpose.
I alone am foolish and uncouth.
I alone am different from others
And value being fed by the mother.

[*] This line his clearly out of place in this chapter, and
should, almost certainly, form part of the last chapter, but
there is disagreement among scholars as to the exact place
in the last chapter to which it should be restored. Some believe
that it is in fact the last line in that chapter. I am inclined
to view that it should be the first line. In that case, it should
also be the first line of 43.
[†] This line seems unconnected here. Kao Heng suggests that it
probably follows the line "I alone am inactive and reveal no
signs", as both lines are similar non only in their grammatical
structure but also in having internal rhymes (Lao tzu cheng ku,
Peking, 1956, p 46).
[‡] T'ai lao is the most elaborate kind of feast, and consists
of the three kinds of animals, the ox, the ship and the pig.
[§] i.e. going on an outing.
[††] These two lines though seemingly unconnected to the rest
of the section are meant to be a description of the sage, who is
referred throughout this section in the first person.

The marks of great Virtue [41]
Follow alone from the Tao.

The thing that is called Tao
Is elusive, evasive.
Evasive, elusive,
Yet latent in it are forms.
Elusive, evasive,
Yet latent in it are objects.
Dark and dim,
Yet latent in it is the life-force.
The life-force being very true,
Latent in it are evidences.

From the days of old till now
Its Named (manifested forms) have never ceased,
By which we may view the Father of All Things.
How do I know the shape of the Father of All Things?
Through these! [42]

[41]Teh as manifestation of Tao, the active aspect of Tao, the moral principle, tr. by Waley as "power."
[42] Manifested forms.

48] In his every moment a man of great virtue
Follows the way and the way only.

49] As a thing the way is
Shadowy, indistinct.
Indistinct and shadowy,
Yet within it is an image:
Shadowy and indistinct,
Yet within it is a substance.
Dim and dark,
Yet within it is an essence.
This essence is quite genuine
And within it is something that can be tested.

49a] From the present back to antiquity
Its name never deserted it.
It serves as a means for inspecting the fathers of the multitude.

49b] How do I know that the fathers of the multitude are like that?
By means of this.

To yield is to be preserved whole.
To be bent is to become straight.
To be hollow is to be filled.
To be tattered is to be renewed.
To be in want is to possess.
To have plenty is to be confused.

Therefore the Sage embraces the One, [43]
And becomes the model of the world.
He does not reveal himself,
And is therefore luminous. [44]
He does not justify himself,
And is therefore far-famed.
He does not boast of himself,
And therefore people give him credit.
He does not pride himself,
And is therefore the chief among men.

Is it not indeed true, as the ancients say,
"To yield is to be preserved whole?" [45]
Thus he is preserved and the world does him homage.

[43] The Absolute to which transient attributes revert.
[44] Ming with two meanings, "clear" (bright, sterling) and "clear-sighted" (wise discerning).
[45] Another Chinese proverb: "Yield your land boundaries all your life and you never lose half; yield your way to fellow passengers all your life and you never lose a step."

50] Bowed down the preserved;
Bent then straight;
Hollow then full;
Worn then new;
A little then benefited;
A lot then perplexed.

50a] Therefore the sage embraces the One and is a model
for the empire

50b] He does not show himself, and so is conspicuous;
He does not consider himself right, and so is illustrious;
He does not brag, and so has merit;
He does not boast, and so endures.

50c] It is because he does not contend that no one in the
empire is in a position to contend with him.

50d] The way the ancients had it, "Bowed down the preserved", is
no empty saying. Truly it enables one to be preserved to the end.

Nature says few words:
Hence it is that a squall lasts not a whole morning.
A rainstorm continues not a whole day.
Where do they come from?
From Nature.
Even Nature does not last long (in its utterances),
How much less should human beings?

Therefore it is that:
He who follows the Tao is identified with the Tao.
He who follows Character (Teh) is identified with Character.
He who abandons (Tao) is identified with abandonment (of Tao).
He who is identified with Tao -
Tao is also glad to welcome him.
He who is identified with character -
Character is also glad to welcome him.
He who is identified with abandonment -
Abandonment is also glad t welcome him.
He who has not enough faith
Will not be able to command faith from others.

51]To use words but rarely
Is to be natural.

52] Hence a gusty wind cannot last all morning, and a sudden
downpour cannot last all day. Who is it that produces these?
Heaven and earth. If even heaven and earth cannot go on
forever, much less can man. This is why one follows the way.

52] A man on the way conforms to the way; a man of virtue
conforms to virtue; a man of loss conforms to loss. He who
conforms to the way is gladly accepted by the way; he who
conforms to virtue is gladly accepted by virtue; he who conforms
to loss is gladly accepted by loss. [*]

When there is not enough faith, there is lack of good faith.

*] The word translated "loss" throughout this section does not
make much sense. It is possible that it is a graphic error for
"heaven", as suggested by Kao (op.cit., p. 57).

He who stands on tiptoe does not stand (firm);
He who strains his strides [46] does not walk (well);
He who reveals himself is not luminous;
He who justifies himself is not far-famed;
He who boasts of himself is not given credit;
He who prides himself is not chief among men.
These in the eyes of Tao
Are called "the dregs and tumors of Virtue,"
Which are things of disgust.
Therefore the man of Tao spurns them.

46] Hurrying, striving, ambitious.

54] He who tiptoes cannot stand; he who strides cannot walk.

55] He who shows himself is not conspicuous;
He who considers himself right is not illustrious;
He who brags will have no merit;
He who boasts will not endure.

55a] From the point of view of the way these are " excessive
foods and useless excresences" As there are Things that detest
them, he who has the way does not abide in them.

Before the Heaven and Earth existed
There was something nebulous:
Silent, isolated,
Standing alone, changing not,
Eternally revolving without fail,
Worthy to be the Mother of All Things.
I do not know its name
And address it as Tao.
If forced to give it a name, I shall call it "Great."
Being great implies reaching out in space,
Reaching out in space implies far-reaching,
Far-reaching implies reversion to the original point.

Therefore:
Tao is Great,
The Heaven is great,
The Earth is great,
The King is also great.
There are the Great Four in the universe,
And the King is one of them.

Man models himself after the Earth;
The Earth models itself after Heaven;
The Heaven models itself after Tao;
Tao models itself after nature. [47]

Tse-jan, lit. "self-so," "self-formed," "that which is so by itself."

XXV

56] There is a thing confusedly formed,
Born before heaven and earth.
Silent and void
It stands alone and does not change,
Goes round and does not weary.
It is capable of being the mother of the world.
I know not its name,
So I style it "the way".

56a] I give it the makeshift name of " the great".
Being great, it is further described as receding,
Receding, it is described as far away.
Being far away, it is described as turning back.

57]Hence the way is great; heaven is great; earth is great;
and the king is also great. Within the realm there are
four things that are great, and the king counts as one.

58] Man models himself on earth,
Earth on heaven,
Heaven on the way, And the way on that which is naturally so.

The Solid [48] is the root of the light;
The Quiescent is the master of the Hasty.

Therefore the Sage travels all day
Yet never leaves his provision-cart. [49]
In the midst of honor and glory,
He lives leisurely, undisturbed.

How can the ruler of a great country
Make light of his body in the empire [50]?
In light frivolity, the Center is lost;
In hasty action, self-mastery is lost.

48] Literally "heavy," with the Earth as model. In Chinese, "heaviness"
or "thickness" of character, meaning"honest," "generosity," is associated
with the idea of stable luck and endurance, whereas "thinness" or "lightness"
of character, meaning "frivolity" or "sharpness," is associated with lack
of stable luck.
49] A pun on the phrase, containing the word "heavy."
50] By rushing about.

59] The heavy is the root of the light;
The still is the lord of the restless.

59a] Therefore the gentleman when traveling all day
Never lets the heavily laden carts out of his sight.
It is only when he is safely behind walls and watch-towers
That he rests peacefully and is above worries.
How, then, should a ruler of ten thousand chariots
Make light of his own person in the eyes of the empire?

59b] If light, then the root is lost;
If restless, then the lord is lost.

A good runner leaves no track.
A good speech leaves no flaws for attack.
A good reckoner makes use of no counters.
A well-shut door makes use of no bolts,
And yet cannot be opened.
A well-tied knot makes use of no rope,
And yet cannot be untied.

Therefore the Sage is good at helping men;
For that reason there is no rejected (useless) person.
He is good at saving things;
For that reason there is nothing rejected. [51]
- This is called stealing [52] the Light.

Therefore the good man is the Teacher of the bad.
And the bad man is the lesson [53] of the good.

He who neither values his teacher
Nor loves the lesson
Is one gone far astray,
Though he be learned.
- Such is the subtle secret.

51] The Sage uses each according to his talent.
52] Hsi, to enter or secure by devious means such as invasion,
attack at night, penetration etc. The idea is cunningly to make
use of knowledge of nature's law to obtain the best results.
See full development of Chuangtse, especially in his parable Of
Prince Hui's cook, Ch. III.
53] Tse, raw-material, resources, help, something to draw upon
for profit, such as a lesson.

60] One who excels in traveling leaves no wheel tracks;
One who excels in speech makes no slips;
One who excels in reckoning uses non counting rods;
One who excels in shutting uses no bolts yet what he has
shut cannot be opened;
One who excels in tying uses no cords yet what he has tied
cannot be undone.

61] Therefore the sage always excels in saving people, and
so abandons no one; always excels in saving things, and so
abandons nothing.

61a] This is called following one's discernment.

62] Hence the good man is the teacher the bad learns from;
And the bad is the material the good works on.
Not to value the teacher
Nor to love the material
Though it seems clever, betrays great bewilderment.

62a] This is called the essential and the secret.

He who is aware of the Male
But keeps to the Female
Becomes the ravine [54] of the world.
Being the ravine of the world,
He has the eternal power [55] which never fails.
And returns again to the (innocence of) the babe.

He who is conscious of the white (bright)
But keeps to the black (dark)
Becomes the model for the world.
Being the model for the world,
He has the eternal power which never errs,
And returns again to the Primordial Nothingness.

He who is familiar with honor and glory
But keeps to obscurity
Becomes the valley of the world.
Being the valley of the world,
He has an eternal power which always suffices,
And returns again to pristine simplicity.

Break up this pristine simplicity [56]
and it is shaped into tools.
In the hand of the Sage,
They become the officials and magistrates.
Therefore the great ruler does not cut up.

54] See Ch. VI. The Valley, or ravine, is a symbol of the Female Principle,
the receptive, the passive.
55] Teh
56] P'u a piece of unhewn wood, symbol of unspoiled nature.

63] Know the male
But keep to the role of the female
And be a ravine to the empire.
If you are a ravine to the empire,
Then the constant virtue vill not desert you
And you will again return to be a babe.
Know the white
But keep to the role of the black
and be a model to the empire.
If you are a model to the empire,
Then the constant virtue will not be wanting
And will return to the indefinite.
Know honour [*]
But keep to the role of the disgraced
And be a valley to the empire.
If you are a valley to the empire,
Then the constant virtue will be sufficient
And you will return to being the uncarved block.

64] When the uncarved block shatters it becomes vessels [†]
The sage makes use of these and becomes the lord over the officials.

65] Hence the great cutting
Does not sever.

*] The six lines beginning with "But keep to the role of the black"
are almost certain to be an interpolation, but of an early date. If
that is the case, then the line following should be translated "But
keep to the role of the sullied", thus forming a contrast to the line
"Know the white" with which it is continuous. Thi conjecture is
supported by the fact that as quoted in the T'ien hsia chapter in the
Chuang tzu the line "Know th white" is, in fact, followed by the line
"but keep to the role of the sullied". Cf. also "The sheerest whiteness
seems sullied" (91).
[†] i.e. officials whose specialist knowledge and ability make
them fit to be officials but unfit to be rulers. Cf. the phrase
"lord over the vessels" 164.

There are those who will conquer the world
And make of it (what they conceive or desire).
I see that they will not succeed.
(For) the world is God's own Vessel
It cannot be made (by human interference).
He who makes it spoils it.
He who holds it loses it.
For: Some things go forward,
Some things follow behind;
some blow hot,
And some blow cold; [57]
Some are strong,
And some are weak;
Some may break,
And some may fall.
Hence the Sage eschews excess,
eschews extravagance,
eschews pride.

[57] Lit. "blow out," "blow in." I follow Waley's rendering,
which conveys the meaning perfectly.

66] Whoever takes the empire and wishes to do anything
to it I see will have no respite. The empire is a sacred
vessel and nothing should be done to it.
Whoever does anything to it will ruin it; whoever lays
hold of it will lose it.

67] Hence some things lead and some follow;
Some breathe gently and some breathe hard;
Some are strong and some are weak;
Some destroy and some are destroyed.

68] Therefore the sage avoids excess, extravagance, and
arrogance.

He who by Tao purposes to help the ruler of men
Will oppose all conquest by force of arms. [58]
For such things are wont to rebound.
Where armies are, thorns and brambles grow.
The raising of a great host
Is followed by a year of dearth. [59]

Therefore a good general effects his purpose and stops.
He dares not rely upon the strength of arms;
Effects his purpose and does not glory in it;
Effects his purpose and does not boast of it;
Effects his purpose and does not take pride in it;
Effects his purpose as a regrettable necessity;
Effects his purpose but does not love violence.
(For) things age after reaching their prime.
That (violence) would be against the Tao.
And he who is against the Tao perishes young.

58] The Chinese character for "military" is composed of two parts:
"stop" and "arms." Chinese pacifists interpret this as meaning
disapproval of arms ("stop armament"), whereas it may just as well
mean to stop the enemy by force. Etymologically, however, the word
for "stop" is a picture of a footprint, so the whole is a picture
of a "spear" over "footprints."
[59] These six lines are by Waley, for they cannot be improved upon.

69] One who assists the ruler of men by means of the way
does not intimidate the empire by a show of arms.

69a] This is something which is liable to rebound.
Where troops have encamped
There will brambles grows;
In the wake of a mighty army
Bad harvests follow without fail.

69b] One who is good aims only at bringing his campaign
to a conclusion and dare not thereby intimidate.
Bring it to a conclusion but do not boast; bring it to
a conclusion but do not brag; bring it to a conclusion
but do not be arrogant; bring it to a conclusion but
only when there is no choice; bring it to a conclusion
but do not intimidate.

70] A creature in its prime doing harm [*] to the old
Is known as going against the way.
That which goes against the way will come to an early end.

*] The word in the present text means "then" and does not make
good sense. I have followed the emendation suggested by Kao to
a word meaning "to harm" (op. cit., pp. 71-2).

Soldiers are weapons of evil.
They are not the weapons of the gentleman.
When the use of soldiers cannot be helped,
The best policy is calm restraint.

Even in victory, there is no beauty, [62]
And who calls it beautiful
Is one who delights in slaughter.
He who delights in slaughter
Will not succeed in his ambition to rule the world.

[The things of good omen favor the left.
The things of ill omen favor the right.
The lieutenant-general stands on the left,
The general stands on the right.
That is to say, it is celebrated as a Funeral Rite.]

The slaying of multitudes should be mourned with sorrow.
A victory should be celebrated with the Funeral Rite. [63]

60] Another reading, "fine weapons." Ping can mean both "soldiers"
and "weapons."
[61] These are ceremonial arrangements. The left is symbol of good
omen, the creative; the right is symbol of bad omen, the destructive.
[62] Another equally good reading, "no boasting," "and who boasts of
victory."
[63] One of the four Cardinal Rites of Chou'li. The last five lines
but two read like a commentary, interpolated in the text by mistake.
The evidence is conclusive: (1) The terms "lieutenant general" and
" general" are the only ones in the text that are anachronisms, for
these terms did not exist till Han times. (2) The commentary by Wang
Pi is missing in this chapter, so it must have slipped into the text
by a copyst's mistake. See also Ch. 69. Cf. Mencius, "The best fighter
should receive the supreme punishment"; again, "Only he who does not
love slaughter can unify the empire."

Tao is absolute and has no name.
Though the uncarved wood is small,
It cannot be employed (used as vessel) by anyone.
If kings and barons can keep (this unspoiled nature),
The whole world shall yield them lordship of their own accord.

The Heaven and Earth join,
And the sweet rain falls,
Beyond the command of men,
Yet evenly upon all.

Then human civilization arose and there were names. [64]
Since names there were,
It were well one knew where to stop for repose.
He who knows where to stop for repose
May from danger be exempt.
Tao in the world
May be compared
To rivers that run into the sea. [65]

64] Names imply differentiation of things and loss of
original state of Tao.
65] Really to be compared to the sea, or to the rivers
seeking repose into the sea.

72] The way is forever nameless.
Though the uncarved block is small
No one in the world dare claim its allegiance.
Should lords and princes be able to hold fast to it
The myriad creatures will submit of their own accord,
Heaven and earth will unite and sweet dew will fall,
And the people will be equitable, though no one so decrees.
Only when it is cut are there names.
As soon as there are names
One ought to know that it is time to stop.
Knowing when to stop one can be free from danger.

73] The way is to the world as the River and the Sea are
to rivulets and streams.

He who knows others is learned;
He who knows himself is wide.
He who conquers others has power of muscles;
He who conquers himself is strong.
He who is contented is rich.
He who id determined has strength of will.
He who does not lose his center endures.
He who dies yet (his power) remains has long life.

74] He who knows others is clever;
He who knows himself has discernment;
He who overcomes others has force;
He who overcomes himself is strong.

75] He who knows contentment is rich;
He who perseveres is a man of purpose;
He who does not loose his station will endure;
He who lives out his days has had a long life.

The Great Tao flows everywhere,
(Like a flood) it may go left or right.
The myriad things derive their life from it,
And it does not deny them.
When its work is accomplished,
It does not take possession.
It clothes and feeds the myriad things,
Yet does not claim them as its own.
Often (regarded) without mind or passion,
It may be considered small.
Being the home [66] of all things, yet claiming not,
It may be considered great.
Because to the end it does not claim greatness,
Its greatness is achieved.

66] Lit. rendezvous."

76] The way is broad, reaching left as well as right.
The myriad creatures depend on it for life yet it claims
no authority.
It accomplishes its task yet lays claim to no merit.
It clothes and feeds the myriad creatures yet lays no
claim to being their master.

76a] Forever free of desire, it can be called small; yet, as
it lays no claim to being master when the myriad creatures
turn to it, it can be called great.

76b] It is because it never attempts itself to be great that
it succeeds in becoming great.

Hold the Great Symbol [67]
and all the world follows,
Follows without meeting harm,
(And lives in) health, peace, commonwealth.

Offer good things to eat
And the wayfarer stays.
But Tao is mild to the taste.
Looked at, it cannot be seen;
Listened to, it cannot be heard;
Applied, its supply never fails.

67] The symbol of Nature, Heaven and Earth. This chapter consists
of rhymed three-word lines.

77] Have in your hold the great image
And the empire will come to you.
Coming to you and meeting with no harm
It will be safe and sound.
Music and food
Will induce the wayfarer to stop.

78]The way in its passage through the mouth is without flavour.
It cannot be seen,
It cannot be heard,
Yet it cannot be exhausted by use.

He who is to be made to dwindle (in power)
Must first be caused to expand.
He who is to be weakened
Must first be made strong.
He who is to be laid low
Must first be exalted to power.
He who is to be taken away from
Must first be given,
- This is the Subtle Light.

Gentleness overcomes strength:
Fish should be left in the deep pool,
And sharp weapons of the state should be left
Where none can see them.

79] If you would have a thing shrink,
You must first stretch it;
If you would have a thing weakened,
You must first strengthen it;
If you would have a thing laid aside,
You must first set it up;
If you would take from a thing,
you must first give to it.

79a] This is called subtle discernment:
The submissive and weak will overcome the hard and strong.

80] The fish must not be allowed to leave the deep;
The instruments of power in a state must not be revealed
to anyone. [*]

*] This section is quoted and commented upon in chapters 21 and
31 of the Han fei tzu, but unfortunately the comments are somewhat
obscure because the text is probably corrupt. The general point
seems to be this. The "fish" is the symbol for the ruler, and the
"deep" his power. For a ruler to allow the power to slip out of
his hands is for the "fish" to be "allowed to leave the deep".
Reward and punishment are the "twin instruments of power in a
state", and "must not be revealed to anyone", lest, in the wrong
hands, even the knowledge of how they are dispensed can be turned
in a source of power.

The Tao never does,
Yet through it everything is done.
If princes and dukes can keep the Tao,
the world will of its own accord be reformed.
When reformed and rising to action,
Let it be restrained by the Nameless pristine simplicity.
The Nameless pristine simplicity
Is stripped of desire (for contention).
By stripping of desire quiescence is achieved,
And the world arrives at peace of its own accord.

81] The way never acts yet nothing is left undone.
Should lords and princes be able to hold fast to it,
The myriad creatures will be transformed of their own
accord.
After they are transformed, should desire raise its head,
I shall press it down with the weight of the nameless
uncarved block.
The nameless uncarved block
Is but freedom from desire,
And if I cease to desire and remain still,
The empire will be at peace of its own accord.